Determination of somatic and excretory-secretory antigens of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica using SDS-PAGE

Human fascioliasis due to unknown species and animal fascioliasis caused by both or one of Fasciola spp. are commonly seen in Iran. To compare electrophoretic patterns of somatic and excretory-secretory antigens of F. hepatica and F. gigantica by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), the adult flukes were collected from infected slaughtered bovine livers. E/S and somatic antigens were prepared by incubation and homogenizing of adult flukes, respectively. The antigens were electrophoresed using SDS-PAGE. Following SDS-PAGE, E/S proteins of F. hepatica and F. gigantica were characterized by the presence of 6 common major peptide bands with molecular weights of 15, 16, 20, 24, 33 and 42 kDa. Differences between F. hepatica and F. gigantica somatic proteins were noticed. F. gigantica had 11 major protein bands with molecular weights of 18, 22, 24, 33, 36, 42, 46, 57, 60, 62 and 68 kDa, whereas F. hepatica had proteins characterized by 8 distinct bands with molecular weights of 18, 22, 24, 33, 36, 42, 46 and 62 kDa.